It is conventional for DVD creation to break the material into 1GB VOB files.
As you have discovered, Vegas is not particularly good at putting them together, even using the Import DVD Camcorder Disc function.

My favorite for stitching VOBs back into MPEG is called VideoReDo. It has a generous trial period. There are also freeware programs that will do this.

Thanks for your help. I downloaded trial Video Re-Do and it looks pretty good. I havn't been able to join all of the files together yet for it appears that you need the purchased version to do this. I will probably be purchasing the program to get the full use. I was wondering what your opinion is of Nero? Does it do the same thing? Anyway, I think it really bites that Vegas Movie Studio can't seem to perform this function. I know it wasn't very expensive, but this seems like a pretty basic function. Anyway, thanks again for the help.
Rich

The generous VideoReDo trial version is fully functional. You merely add the files to the Joiner List.

But that's not the way to import all the VOB files on a DVD or in a folder. You merely Select All, then you are given the option to Combine, or add to the Joiner List if you want to work with them. And you can do all this for 45 days before you are asked if you want to purchase the program.

The latest version of Super by Erightsoft also offers a joiner function. Don't know how well it works. As I mentioned, there are also other free options.

Even if everything matched up on the timeline, Vegas would do a new render. What you want (split/join fast-frame copy) is not something the Vegas editor was designed to do.

One of your questions asks for an opinion. I will never, ever have Nero on one of my computers again.

I have imported video from a DVD-R that was originally a dubbed VHS Transfer. It appears that the dubbing machine created an auto chapter every 15 minutes. So, when I import the video, it has 4 separate vob files.

I don't think this was the problem. The problem is that when Vegas imports a DVD it expects one of the small, camcorder DVD's. When you import a "regular" DVD Vegas will "cut it up" exactly like you described ... with the audio gap between sections. (been there, done that, have the t-shirt)

No, actually that was precisely the problem. Vegas' DVD import function merely copies the existing VOB files from the DVD, regardless of their size or how many they are, and then splits them up into separate files at each chapter marker. When i've used my DVD recorder for this task i always remember to turn off auto-chapter creation first. That way i only get breaks at the 1GB location instead of at every chapter marker.

Ideally the DVD import function should have a checkbox to ignore chapter markers and make one large file if you wish. This strikes me as ***WAY*** more useful than the splitting, especially since the splitting causes the audio gaps.

No, actually that was precisely the problem. Vegas' DVD import function merely copies the existing VOB files from the DVD, regardless of their size or how many they are, and then splits them up into separate files at each chapter marker. When i've used my DVD recorder for this task i always remember to turn off auto-chapter creation first. That way i only get breaks at the 1GB location instead of at every chapter marker.

You lost me there ... how do you know that a video with no chapter marks won't split exactly like the original poster's? He said that there were 4 vob files, one for every 15 minutes. A dvd with 4 gig would split into 4 files with no chapters present ... wouldn't it?

I suppose playing the original DVD and seeing just how many chapters there are would be the way to check which device / program is the cause of the 4 VOB files.

brighterside,

Kelly (chienworks) did not lose me there.

To repeat myself (a rarity), it is the convention of dvd creation programs to break at 1GB chunks. This is not speculation on my part, but experience. Manual options are available in other applications to create one contiguous file; unfortunately, this option is not available within current versions of Vegas, to my knowledge.

Three reasons why i think it's chapter markers ...

15 minutes per 1GB VOB file would require a bitrate of about 9.1Mbps, which would be unusually high. It's also unlikely that each VOB file would be exactly an even number of minutes.

Most consumer DVD recorders default to auto-chapter mode. 10 or 15 minutes are common.

Whenever i import a DVD using Vegas' internal function it splits to a new file at every chapter marker.

OK:
I ran a test with another 1 hour tape on my dubbing machine with the auto chapter function off. It most definitely segmented the program into 4, 1 gig files. I tried using the Video Re Do program suggested in the earlier post. Unfortunately, the full program is still jumping at the cut points after it is converted to one continuous MPEG stream. So if anyone has a solution to this problem, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks:
Rich

UPDATE:
I re ran a function withing the Video Re Do Program called "Quick Stream Fix". That seemed to resolve the issue. I can then open the updated MPEG in Vegas MS and work on chapter markers and such. I think the problem is resolved for now. Thanks for the help.
Rich

Boy, am I red-faced. I always run Quick Stream Fix before doing anything else in VideoReDo. I completely forgot to mention it -- glad you discovered it on your own!

The purpose of Quick Stream Fix is to recalculate and rewrite the TS and GOP structure over the entire sequence of clips.

No Problem.
I really appreciate your help and direction to the Video Re Do program. It is a life saver. I will now purchase it.

Thanks again:
Rich

I will now purchase it.

Since you have decided to purchase, just get the $49 (US) version. It has everything you need, and the higher priced version doesn't have anything else you would use very much. You can always upgrade if you decide to later.